Clock



w. E. Pom- R April 1, 1930.

CLOC K Filed April 4, 1927 Patented Apr. 1, 1939 WILSON E. PORTER, OFNEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR i C E TO THE NEW HAVEN CLOCK 00., OFNEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT CLOCK Application filed April 4, 1927. Serial No.180,709.

My invention relates to an improvement in that class of small portableclocks having one-piece cases made of molded or pressed bakelite orother similar composition, the object being to provide simple, effectiveand convenient means for mounting a time-movement in such a one-piececase.

With these ends in view, my invention consists in a clock having acase-unit, a time-unit,

turn-buttons for engagement with the caseunit, and forwardly-yieldingmeans carried by the time-unit at the rear end thereof for mounting thesaid buttons, whereby the same are sprung forwardly into position to beengaged under tension with the case-unit for holding the time-unittherein.

My invention further consists in a clock characterized as above andhaving certain other details of construction as will be hereinafterdescribed and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a clock embodying my invention,with one corner of the case broken away;

Fig. 2 is a view thereof in rear elevation with the bell removed;

Fig. 3 is a broken sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a detached perspective view of one of the pivotallocking-dogs.

The clock-case 5 is molded or pressed in one piece in any attractiveform from bakelite or some similar composition. Within twodiagonally-opposite corners of its open back it is formed with twosegmental retainingnotches or grooves 6 for the reception ofturn-buttons 7 pivotally mounted upon the correspondingdiagonally-opposite corners of a yielding assembly-plate 8 organizedwith the unitary time-movement 9 and adapted in form and dimensions tofit snugly within the said case 5, near the open back thereof. The saidparts are so proportioned and positioned that when the button-carryingcorners of the said plate 8 are flexed or sprung forward, as shown inFig. 3, the turn-buttons mounted upon them may be turner. by theinsertion of a screw-driver into their l-Ierfs 10, so as to enter theirouter ends into the notches 6 in the case 5, whereby the unitarytimemovement is installed Within the unitary case under the tensionalengagement of the outer faces of the said buttons 7 with the rear facesof the notches 6, the tension of the plate exerting a constant effort tomove the movement forward in the case and seat it deeper therein. Thisforms a cheap, convenient and effective means of installing atime-movement in a one-piece composition case without the use of screwsor superfluous parts, and, moreover, takes up any back-lash and prevents rattling.

As shown, the case 5 is formed at its for ward end with an integralinwardly-projecting crystal-retaining flange 11, between which and theedge of the dial-plate 12, the edge of a concavo-convex yieldingclockcrystal 13 of celluloid or equivalent trans parent material isbound, the said dial-plate 12 being carried in the usual manner by theunitary time-movement, which being constantly under the forward urge ofthe assembly-plate, its dial-plate is crowded upon the edges of thecrystal, which, in turn, is crowded against the flange 11 of the case,so that the crystal is constantly held in place under tension. Insteadof relying upon the flexing of the assembly-plate 8 for maintaining thetension between the turn-buttons 7 and the case 5, the structure may beorganized so as to sufficiently compress the yielding crystal 13 whenthe clock is assembled as to maintain the said frictional engagement, orboth the crystal 13 and the plate 8 may be utilized for that purpose.

I claim: I

1. A clock, comprising a case-unit, a time unit, a crystal, astop-abutment carried by the case-unit for limiting the forward movementof the said crystal and time-unit there in, a forwardly-facinglocking-abutment carried by the case-unit for acting in opposition tothe said stop-abutment, a free-edged assembly-plate located at the rearend of the time-unit and having capacity for having its edgeforwardly-flexed bodily, and a turn-button mounted upon the saidflexible free edge of the said plate for engagement with theforwardly-facing locking-abutment of the case-unit when the edge of thesaid plate is forwardly-flexed for the purpose.

2. A clock-structure as defined in the preceding claim and having itsassembly-plate shaped to fit snugly into the rear open end of thecase-unit to form a closure therefor.

3. A clock comprising a time-unit, a crystal, a one-piece molded caseopen front and rear and having its forward end formed with astop-abutment for limiting the forward movement of said crystal andtime-unit therein, and its rear end formed with an assemblynotchproducing a locking-abutment for acting in opposition to thestop-abutment aforesaid, a free-edged assembly-plate located at the rearend of the time-unit and having capacity for having its edgeforwardly-flexed bodily, and a turn-button mounted upon the said freeedge of the assembly-plate for engagement with the locking-abutmentproduced by the said assembly-notch when the edge of the said plate isflexed bodily forward.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

WILSON E. PORTER.

